14 - Javier Mascherano

[Sumlit]

Mascherano is just not a good CB, there is no other way to categorize this. He is serviceable against lower teams simply because Barcelona will just boss the entire match and Mascherano's involvement will be lessened to a few tackle and a few interceptions.

However, ask him to be a strong CB against a strong team in a critical match and he simply is just not good at that. Even in a match like Milan second leg where Barca dominated, the worst player on that pitch was Mascherano who committed plenty of errors.

He is just not a CB. He plays CB like he plays DM.

 

[spark]

No I didnt say they will never make mistakes I am saying that you ask Masch/Valdes to play in a way that will have higher chance of mistakes occuring but even allowing for that the good outweighs the bad.

Masch has played in probably over 50 big games at CB the last few seasons and you come up with 2/3 examples at most.

Valdes has made as many if not more mistakes in big games so by your standard he is not good enough. Why do your rules not apply to him?

Of course Masch would have improved the defence against Bayern, Pique and Barta put in some of the worst defensive performances I have seen at Barca in recent years.

Pep regards Masch as his best signing at Barcelona says quite a bit.

That Pep is terrible in the transfer market?

 

[JamDav1982]

But he didn't win it did he?Its better risking one moment to concede a vital goal and hurry up to get it rather than winning it safely in an easy situation and at the same time risky?We were already 1-0 if that goal was conceded the momentum would probably be different.It was not the right situation to take such a high risk especially when you don't have cover behind you.

Nope he didnt win it but his intentions were correct and nothing to do with not being a good enough defender.

Just like Valdes shouldnt have passed straight to a Real Madrid player to score. His intentions were correct and you want him to carry on playing the same way.

 

[JamDav1982]

That Pep is terrible in the transfer market?

Pique, Alves, Keita etc all good enough signings and Masch rated above them says something.

 

[Sumlit]

Nope he didnt win it but his intentions were correct and nothing to do with not being a good enough defender.

Just like Valdes shouldnt have passed straight to a Real Madrid player to score. His intentions were correct and you want him to carry on playing the same way.

If you're talking about Mascherano's mistake that led to the Niang 1v1 hit the post play then you are wrong. That was a terrible mistake and the very exact reason Mascherano is not a good CB.

What Masche did in that play is what he would do as a DM, he would do this because he has CB cover and can take those risks. That is the very reason he is a bad CB.

Like i said, he plays CB as he plays DM.

 

[Meitux]

Nope he didnt win it but his intentions were correct and nothing to do with not being a good enough defender.

Just like Valdes shouldnt have passed straight to a Real Madrid player to score. His intentions were correct and you want him to carry on playing the same way.

So you say that he should play the same way even if the situation is too dangerous?Sometimes you just make the simple and win it,Valdes agaisnt Di Maria should even try kicking it out of play rather than try dribbling.Mascherano should get a better position and just head and clear the ball,but because of his bad positiong and understanding of a situation as CB,he didn't do it.

 

[JamDav1982]

So you say that he should play the same way even if the situation is too dangerous?Sometimes you just make the simple and win it,Valdes agaisnt Di Maria should even try kicking it out of play rather than try dribbling.Mascherano should get a better position and just head and clear the ball,but because of his bad positiong and understanding of a situation as CB,he didn't do it.

Look at the big games Masch missed -

AC Milan (a) - defeated 2-0
Bayern (a) - defeated 4-0
Bayern (h) - defeated 3-0
Real (h) - defeated 3-1
PSG (h) - drew 1-1 (defence all over the place)

Thats not all a coincidence.

 

[Sumlit]

That only proves Barca had zero CB depth beyond Mascherano. It does not proof Mascherano is the secret ingredient in our defense.

Specially since he was replaced by Adriano.

 

[Meitux]

Look at the big games Masch missed -

AC Milan (a) - defeated 2-0
Bayern (a) - defeated 4-0
Bayern (h) - defeated 3-0
Real (h) - defeated 3-1
PSG (h) - drew 1-1 (defence all over the place)

Thats not all a coincidence.

Im telling you he wouldn't make the big of difference.We were dominated against Bayern,it didn't have to do only with one defender or defence.With his bad positioning and decisions we could of conceded even more.Defending is about all of the 4 players performing and understanding,its not that if Mascherano was there and the others were bad either way,we would concede lower..

 

[JamDav1982]

That only proves Barca had zero CB depth beyond Mascherano. It does not proof Mascherano is the secret ingredient in our defense.

I never said he was a 'secret ingredient'

I am saying he has been the best defender and is sorely missed in the bigger games. Far from being a liability.

 

[Sumlit]

I never said he was a 'secret ingredient'

I am saying he has been the best defender and is sorely missed in the bigger games. Far from being a liability.

He is not better than Pique as a CB. Even with Pique's awful form of late. Mascherano is simply not good a CB.

 

[JamDav1982]

Im telling you he wouldn't make the big of difference.We were dominated against Bayern,it didn't have to do only with one defender or defence.With his bad positiong and decisions we could of conceded even more.Defending is aboutall of the 4 players performing and understanding,its not that if Mascherano was there and the others were bad either way,we would concede lower..

I am telling you the defence would not have been as poor with Masch in it. Pique and Batra were absolute garbage in those games.

He brings a better understanding than Pique and Barta - that is part of it.

If you think swapping Masch for Bartra/Pique or even Puyol makes no difference then fair enough... but your wrong.

 

[JamDav1982]

He is not better than Pique as a CB. Even with Pique's awful form of late. Mascherano is simply not good a CB.

He has been a better defender than Pique the past two seasons easily.

 

[Meitux]

I am telling you the defence would not have been as poor with Masch in it. Pique and Batra were absolute garbage in those games.

He brings a better understanding than Pique and Barta - that is part of it.

If you think swapping Masch for Bartra/Pique or even Puyol makes no difference then fair enough... but your wrong.

We didn't defend good generally like a team,Mascherano would be even more useless cause Bayern and obviously Real PSG are physical sides so he wouldn't help at all in aerial problems.Its not excuse of saying that Pique-Bartra is better,but you can't certainly call him the best defender of the squad from the moment there isn't any serious comparing with Pique,Puyol,Bartra.If he played against Bayern you would truly see the problems of his positiong,decisions and understanding of the situation..

 

[Sumlit]

He has been a better defender than Pique the past two seasons easily.

Better defender, perhaps. Better CB, nope.

You have a completely inaccurate view of Mascherano's play as a CB for this team.